Thanks for the compliments, Vicky and Sue. I have heard about all the damage racoons can do, and we do have them around here. In fact there was a mother an babies nesting in a dead, tall pine tree stump at the top here recently. I think they moved out the day after my sister decided to disturb them. They haven't visited my pond yet. I do have a lot of rocks in the pond, and the fish hide amongst them, but I will think about putting in something safer for them. Hopefully the coons won't decide to go fishing in my pond. I read the only thing that keeps them out is a low electric fence. I don't want to have to install one.
As for the rocks, I had some on my property, but our property is not very rocky at all. In fact there are very few here, and most public lands you cannot just go and take rocks away. I lived in Nevada for awhile, and I used to get tons of rocks from the desert there. So many there were! Mostly on BLM (Bureau of Land Management) land. Here I found a beach on the ocean that is private, and the residents don't like all the rocks that constantly wash ashore there. They are happy to have me come and take as many as I like. I was thrilled to find this out, because buying them is sooooo expensive. I have a friend who has been helping load them in buckets to haul up to my car. A lot of work, and I can't put many in my little Ford Focus, but it's definitely worth it. I have made about 3 trips so far. I just need a few more for this area, but I may get more for a seasonal stream we have in the back, where the sump-pump empites water from a pipe that comes from our cellar. Whenever we get a lot of rain that pump comes on to keep our cellar from flooding. The water drains to an unlined pond in the back that only remains full when it's wet. The area back there generally stays wet, though, and is good for moisture loving plants, such as astilbe, goat's beard, ostrich fern, etc. It's an area I haven't really done much with, but I have plans for it.
Vicky, that's great that you are so environmentally conscious. I was talking to a friend just today in fact, and she was mentioning how barberry bushes may no longer be sold around here, as they are classified as invasive. I told her this was true. She said she didn't care, she liked them, and they aren't hard to pull up or dig up. Not really the point. They seed in all over and crowd out natives. She also likes the purple loosestrife, which is also an invasive species here. It's very pretty, but it takes over in no time, clogging waterways (kind of like your water hyacinth in Florida, but these are rooted in the ground) and crowding out natives. Here I can grow the water hyacinth and not worry about it being invasive, as it will die during the winter. I will just get more the following year.
Vicky, yes, we are ruining our planet! I read an article printed in National Geographic last year about invasive species. It opened up my eyes for sure. Just like the article in National Geographic that I read, I think printed in the 80's, about landfills. When I found out 50% of our landfills is paper, then I decided I would be recycling a lot more, including all my junk mail (sans any personal info, such as my addy, etc.).
And Vicky, yes, algae is part of the system. A little is fine with me also, but not excessive amounts. I plan to get some snails to help with some of it. I imagine you have some, maybe a lot, in your ponds.
I have purchase three comets for my pond, and they seem to be doing well. Now a want a couple of shubunkins and I will be good to go. I think that will be enough. But does anyone know how big they get? Are they like the comets in size? I've read they will grow according to their surroundings, but I thought that was a fallacy about fish.
Karen
